US4789263A - Process for the production of a ball-point pen tip supplied with liquid ink, and tip produced thereby - Google Patents

Process for the production of a ball-point pen tip supplied with liquid ink, and tip produced thereby Download PDF

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Publication number
US4789263A
US4789263A US06/622,396 US62239684A US4789263A US 4789263 A US4789263 A US 4789263A US 62239684 A US62239684 A US 62239684A US 4789263 A US4789263 A US 4789263A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
ball
tube
forward end
tip
zone
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Expired - Fee Related
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US06/622,396
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English (en)
Inventor
Werner Germann
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Albe SA
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Albe SA
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B43—WRITING OR DRAWING IMPLEMENTS; BUREAU ACCESSORIES
    • B43K—IMPLEMENTS FOR WRITING OR DRAWING
    • B43K1/00—Nibs; Writing-points
    • B43K1/08—Nibs; Writing-points with ball points; Balls or ball beds
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T29/00—Metal working
    • Y10T29/49—Method of mechanical manufacture
    • Y10T29/49826—Assembling or joining
    • Y10T29/4984—Retaining clearance for motion between assembled parts
    • Y10T29/49845—Retaining clearance for motion between assembled parts by deforming interlock
    • Y10T29/49853—Retaining clearance for motion between assembled parts by deforming interlock of sphere, i.e., ball, in socket
    • Y10T29/49854—Ball point pen making

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a process for the production of a ball-point pen tip supplied with liquid ink.
  • the invention concerns the ball-point tip produced in accordance with this process.
  • Ball-point pens with pasty ink are conventional. These exhibit the disadvantage frequently to form spots when writing is begun.
  • felt-tip pens are known wherein the liquid ink is fed to the writing tip by means of a tampon or wad.
  • ball-point pens with liquid ink are known (see, for example, Swiss Patent No. 351,188) wherein the ink is supplied in the direction of the ball by means of a wad consisting of a fibrous material and subsequently to a pointed part consisting of fibers and enclosed by a nonporous tubelet.
  • a ball-point pen has been known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,960,455 having a metallic tip and able to accommodate two balls.
  • the past-like ink is fed conventionally, i.e. without the use of a storage means in the form of a wad and needle-like pin for the capillary feeding of the ink to the ball.
  • the tip consists of a tube portion with a strong wall and uniform cross section, this cross section corresponding to the ball diameter. The wall of the bearing location of the ball is not strengthened and not reduced at the same time.
  • German Patent No. 870,962 describes a ball-point pen for liquid ink with nubs as bearing means for the ball.
  • the path for feeding the ink to the ball, starting with the reservoir, is very long.
  • the tip is only one diameter throughout, corresponding to that of the ball.
  • the feeding of liquid ink to the ball described in Swiss Patent No. 562,106 is effected via a long duct; besides, the ball is supported in a plastic tip.
  • the tip according to DOS [German Unexamined Laid-Open Application] No. 2,701,694 consists of plastic material.
  • the needle-like tip terminates quite a distance from the ball.
  • the ink is furthermore accumulated.
  • DOS No. 3,000,214 describes a tip having a tubular part of metal which is generally cylindrical and manufactured with a cross section which is the same throughout.
  • the bearing for the ball is not strengthened and, at the same time, is designed with a reduced wall.
  • the feeding duct corresponds to the diameter of the ball and therefore is extremely small, in such a way that feeding of the ink with a fibrous stub into the close proximity of the ball is impossible.
  • the present invention has as its subject a tip for ball-point pens of this last-mentioned type wherein these disadvantages are avoided.
  • FIG. 1 shows schematically a section on an enlarged scale of the front portion of a ball-point pen
  • FIGS. 2a-2k are schematic views of the succession of working steps for producing the tip, starting with a cylindrical tubelet,
  • FIG. 3 shows the working principle for a device for forming the tubelet by a rolling process
  • FIG. 4 shows how the forward portion of the tip is brought to an exact dimension
  • FIG. 5 shows, on an enlarged scale, how the annular mounting of the ball is produced
  • FIG. 6 shows the axial section through a tool for forming the ball seat, on an enlarged scale
  • FIG. 7 is a partial sectional view of a unit for making a recess serving as the ball seat.
  • the tip is made from a tubelet commercially known as "microtube”, and utilized, for example, for the manufacture of hollow needles for syringes, catheters, and the like.
  • This type of tube is obtained starting with a metal strip, especially of corrosion-resistant rolled steel, which is rolled up and welded together in the longitudinal direction.
  • the thickness of the strip is about 0.1 mm, and the internal diameter of the unfinished tube offered on the market is about 1 mm.
  • FIG. 1 shows schematically the tip of a ball-point pen according to this invention, fed with liquid ink.
  • Numeral 1 denotes the external cylindrical member with the tapered portion 1' on the side of the ball.
  • the member 1 contains a small cylinder or wad 2 of felt or a spongy material of a conventional type, fulfilling the task of an ink reservoir.
  • the ink is of the kind utilized in conventional fountain pens wherein the fluidity is not particularly subject to the effects of temperature differences.
  • a cylindrical or needle-shaped part 3, consisting of fibers of a synthetic resin or equivalent material is introduced by frictional mounting in the forward end zone of this member 1.
  • This part 3 likewise has a circular cross section, the end zone 3' of this part being designed in the direction toward the ball preferably with a reduced, circular cross section.
  • the tip 4, equipped with the ball 5, is introduced into the tapering, forward end zone 1' of the member 1.
  • the ink absorbed by the wad 2 is fed to the ball by means of the needle-shaped part 3 by capillary action.
  • the needle-like part 3 extends with its end zone 3' into the very close proximity of the ball 5.
  • the spacing "a" is very small, i.e. is designed so that the fibers are prevented from touching the ball and/or so that the fibers cannot pass in between the ball surface and bearing seat S of the ball.
  • the spacing "a" is smaller than 3/4 of the ball diameter.
  • the end face 3" of the needle-shaped part 3 i.e. the surface effecting the efflux of a plurality of liquid filaments from the needle-shaped part, is extended up into the seat S of the ball, which latter seat will be explained in greater detail below.
  • the internal diameter d of the end zone 3' of the needle-like part 3 is chosen to be maximally large with reference to the ball diameter.
  • the diameter of the needle-like part is likewise made to be maximally large.
  • the path traversed by the fluid in the needle-like part is selected to be short.
  • the needle-like part 3 therefore fulfills a very important function. Actually, the features of its configuration and the material used for its manufacture are chosen so that the transporting of the ink to the ball takes place in an uninterrupted fashion and in the required quantity, in correspondence with the writing intensity.
  • FIG. 2 shows the various processes, i.e. the succession of the operating steps ensuring the manufacture of the tip according to this invention.
  • a tubelet having an extremely thin wall thickness is the starting component; this tubelet is reduced in the forward portion by cold forming until the internal dimension comes close to the diameter of the ball; then the rearward end zone, i.e. the zone opposed to the forward portion, is widened until an internal cross section has been reached capable of accommodating part of the needle-shaped member, ensuring that the latter can extend into the close proximity of the ball; in this procedure, the part A'" interposed between the forward portion A' and the rearward portion A" retains its original cross section.
  • the forming operations have the purpose, in addition to establishing the required internal diameter for receiving the ball, also of strengthening and reducing the original wall thickness thus to facilitate the recessing and to ensure the elastic resilience of the edge zone necessary to snap the ball in place. This precludes a premature wear of the entire bearing surface for the ball, in that the material is provided with the required hardness.
  • This combination of narrowing and widening of the opposed portions of a tubelet with respect to a central dimension of the latter, as well as the establishment of a centrally arranged passage defined by a plurality of conically configured indentations as a seat for the ball and, finally, the reduction of the forward wall thickness for supporting the ball, are the basic features of the tip according to this invention.
  • This tip is thus realized essentially by cold forming rather than by a metal-cutting operation.
  • the said centrally arranged passage defined by said indentations has a least diameter that is greater than the distance "a”.
  • the needle-shaped member tapers to a point adjacent the ball, this point being disposed in said centrally arranged passage.
  • the number of recesses 6 as supporting means, forming the seat S for the ball 5, is advantageously 3, 4, or 5, in dependence on the size of the ball diameter. If, for example, the ball diameter is larger than 0.6 mm, five recesses are provided, while, with a smaller diameter than 0.8 mm ball diameter, the number of recesses will limit itself to four, in the limit case to three.
  • triplet The tool known as "triplet”, the use of which has been known in numerous branches of industry for cold forming, comprises (FIG. 3) a cylindrical jacket 7 with shank. Within the jacket 7, three rollers 7' are arranged to be rotatable about their own axes and in parallel to the axis of the cylinder; these rollers, in turn, press against the wall of the tubelet A being formed.
  • FIG. 4 shows, based on FIG. 2h, on an enlarged scale how, after the seat S has been produced, the end zone of the forward portion A' of the tubelet is once again brought to an exact dimension.
  • 8 denotes part of an outer roller and 9 is a concentrically arranged pin which, with its apex 9', presses against the zone of the recess 9" which is to constitute the support for the ball.
  • pressure is also exerted on the cylinder wall 9'", ensuring an extremely accurate centering of the ball seat S with respect to the axis of the tubelet and, in particular, with respect to the wall 9'" which will encompass the ball.
  • an external "triplet” is provided in addition to a pin 10, which latter is concentric with the axis of the tubelet and simultaneously with the axis of the seat S.
  • the external rollers 11 of this external "triplet” exhibit a groove 12 to bend the annular rim N inwardly, in order to attain a minimum radial dimension as required for the introduction of the ball 5 by snapping same in place, i.e. with the aid of an elastic resilience of the rim.
  • FIG. 6 For producing the seat S for the ball 5 (FIG. 2g), the tool shown on an enlarged scale in FIG. 6 is utilized.
  • This figure shows a tubelet A arranged axially to the tool and two coaxially arranged plunger units 13, located in a vertical plane.
  • Each unit 13 comprises a hollow member 14 which tapers conically at the front and close to the axis of the tool.
  • the additional taper 15' of a bushing 15 presses against the taper 14', this bushing being located coaxially to the aforementioned tip 4 and being detachably mounted in the central bore 16.
  • the bushing 15 has the purpose of determining the combined position of the units 13 in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the tubelet A.
  • a plunger 17 with a pointed front part 17' is arranged to be axially displaceable in the hollow member 14.
  • the opposite, outer end 17" of the plunger has a diameter larger than the shank, to guide the latter axially and in order to form a support for a pretensioned coil compression spring.
  • the outer end 17" furthermore acts as a plunger and is acted upon by the conical surface 19.
  • the conical surface 19 pertains to the inner wall of a bushing 20, which latter is coaxially displaceable with respect to the axis of the tip to be machined.
  • the units 13 are engaged by the conically fashioned end zones 21' of two screws 21. These are arranged in parallel to the axis of the tool and effect the alignment of the corresponding axes of the units 13 so that these axes intersect with the axis of the tool.
  • a calibrating plunger 22 enters into the tubelet.
  • the depth of the recesses S and the displacement distance of the plunger 22 are limited by the corresponding displacements Z and Z' executed by the member C and by the bushing 20.
  • the compressive force K is exerted on the member C; the member C and the bushing 20 are, in turn, pretensioned by the springs 23 and 24.

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  • Pens And Brushes (AREA)
  • Coating Apparatus (AREA)
US06/622,396 1981-06-01 1984-06-20 Process for the production of a ball-point pen tip supplied with liquid ink, and tip produced thereby Expired - Fee Related US4789263A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CH3580/81A CH671736A5 (ja) 1981-06-01 1981-06-01
CH3580/81-5 1981-06-01

Related Parent Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US06384082 Continuation 1982-06-01

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US4789263A true US4789263A (en) 1988-12-06

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ID=4259057

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US06/622,396 Expired - Fee Related US4789263A (en) 1981-06-01 1984-06-20 Process for the production of a ball-point pen tip supplied with liquid ink, and tip produced thereby

Country Status (6)

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US (1) US4789263A (ja)
EP (1) EP0066541B1 (ja)
JP (1) JPS57203598A (ja)
AT (1) ATE15466T1 (ja)
CH (1) CH671736A5 (ja)
DE (1) DE3266151D1 (ja)

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5383901A (en) * 1993-10-18 1995-01-24 Ethicon, Inc. Blunt point needles
US5899625A (en) * 1994-04-29 1999-05-04 The Pilot Ink Co., Ltd. Ballpoint pen tip
KR20010048838A (ko) * 1999-11-30 2001-06-15 김충경 필기구용 팁 및 그 제조방법
EP1149710A1 (en) * 2000-04-28 2001-10-31 The Pilot Ink Co., Ltd. Ballpoint pen tip and ballpoint pen using the same
US20050035089A1 (en) * 2002-01-17 2005-02-17 David Schmitz Tool for manufacturing ballpoint pens
US20070292314A1 (en) * 2004-11-22 2007-12-20 F. Hoffman Laroche Ltd Bent Microstructures For Sampling, Transporting Or Dispensing A Fluid Media
CN104551570A (zh) * 2015-01-13 2015-04-29 林大喜 一种670笔头加工方法及基于该方法制成的670笔头
CN113074226A (zh) * 2021-03-18 2021-07-06 江西省永智制笔有限公司 一种动力头

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS5887097A (ja) * 1981-11-19 1983-05-24 ぺんてる株式会社 パイプ式ボ−ルペンのチツプ成形方法
JPS59143693A (ja) * 1983-02-04 1984-08-17 三菱鉛筆株式会社 ボ−ルペンチツプの製造方法
JPS61160298A (ja) * 1985-01-09 1986-07-19 三菱鉛筆株式会社 ボ−ルペンチツプの製造方法
DE3601676A1 (de) * 1986-01-21 1987-07-23 Rudi Hutt Schreibspitze und verfahren zu ihrer herstellung

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR1509356A (fr) * 1966-08-31 1968-01-12 Dainihon Bungu Kabushiki Kaish Plume à pointe à bille pour encres aqueuses
DE2307620A1 (de) * 1973-01-19 1974-08-22 Tokyo Hat Tintenzufuehrung fuer kugelschreiber und verfahren zu ihrer herstellung
US3966336A (en) * 1974-05-20 1976-06-29 The Gillette Company Ball type marker construction which eliminates stick-slip phenomena
US4139313A (en) * 1975-12-10 1979-02-13 Jiro Hori Writing element for use in ball point pen
US4457644A (en) * 1979-12-21 1984-07-03 Pilot Ink Co., Ltd. Ball-point pen tip

Family Cites Families (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
BE483701A (ja) * 1948-07-15
BE514617A (ja) * 1951-10-05
US2834321A (en) * 1954-11-09 1958-05-13 Duefrene George Ball-type writing tip
CH383211A (de) * 1960-06-22 1964-10-15 Kahn David Inc Verfahren zur Herstellung einer Schreibspitze eines Kugelschreibers und nach dem Verfahren hergestellte Schreibspitze
CH383828A (it) * 1962-04-05 1964-10-31 Real Patentauswertungs Anstalt Procedimento per la fabbricazione di puntine per penne a sfera
GB1029391A (en) * 1962-10-01 1966-05-11 Francesco Mazzier Improvements in or relating to the manufacture of writing points for ball pens
US3162941A (en) * 1963-01-04 1964-12-29 Cross Co A T Method of making ball point writing instrument
CH436032A (it) * 1966-05-31 1967-05-15 Real Patentauswertungs Anstalt Macchina per lo stampaggio di punte per penne a sfera e di altri oggetti partendo da una striscia o da un filo metallico

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR1509356A (fr) * 1966-08-31 1968-01-12 Dainihon Bungu Kabushiki Kaish Plume à pointe à bille pour encres aqueuses
DE2307620A1 (de) * 1973-01-19 1974-08-22 Tokyo Hat Tintenzufuehrung fuer kugelschreiber und verfahren zu ihrer herstellung
US3966336A (en) * 1974-05-20 1976-06-29 The Gillette Company Ball type marker construction which eliminates stick-slip phenomena
US4139313A (en) * 1975-12-10 1979-02-13 Jiro Hori Writing element for use in ball point pen
US4457644A (en) * 1979-12-21 1984-07-03 Pilot Ink Co., Ltd. Ball-point pen tip

Cited By (15)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5383901A (en) * 1993-10-18 1995-01-24 Ethicon, Inc. Blunt point needles
US5899625A (en) * 1994-04-29 1999-05-04 The Pilot Ink Co., Ltd. Ballpoint pen tip
US5904432A (en) * 1994-04-29 1999-05-18 The Pilot Ink Co., Ltd. Ballpoint pen tip, manufacturing method therefor, and ballpoint pen using the same
KR20010048838A (ko) * 1999-11-30 2001-06-15 김충경 필기구용 팁 및 그 제조방법
EP1149710A1 (en) * 2000-04-28 2001-10-31 The Pilot Ink Co., Ltd. Ballpoint pen tip and ballpoint pen using the same
US6341914B2 (en) 2000-04-28 2002-01-29 The Pilot Ink Co., Ltd. Ballpoint pen tip and ballpoint pen using the same
US20050035089A1 (en) * 2002-01-17 2005-02-17 David Schmitz Tool for manufacturing ballpoint pens
US7131181B2 (en) * 2002-01-17 2006-11-07 Societe Bic Tool for manufacturing ballpoint pens
US20070292314A1 (en) * 2004-11-22 2007-12-20 F. Hoffman Laroche Ltd Bent Microstructures For Sampling, Transporting Or Dispensing A Fluid Media
US8241566B2 (en) * 2004-11-22 2012-08-14 Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc. Bent microstructures for sampling, transporting or dispensing a fluid media
US8420024B2 (en) 2004-11-22 2013-04-16 Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc. Bent microstructures for sampling, transporting or dispensing a fluid media
US9063038B2 (en) 2004-11-22 2015-06-23 Roche Diagnostics Operations, Inc. Bent microstructures for sampling, transporting or dispensing a fluid media
CN104551570A (zh) * 2015-01-13 2015-04-29 林大喜 一种670笔头加工方法及基于该方法制成的670笔头
CN113074226A (zh) * 2021-03-18 2021-07-06 江西省永智制笔有限公司 一种动力头
CN113074226B (zh) * 2021-03-18 2022-10-25 江西省永智制笔有限公司 一种动力头

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CH671736A5 (ja) 1989-09-29
ATE15466T1 (de) 1985-09-15
EP0066541B1 (de) 1985-09-11
EP0066541A1 (de) 1982-12-08
JPH0258014B2 (ja) 1990-12-06
JPS57203598A (en) 1982-12-13
DE3266151D1 (en) 1985-10-17

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